The more we play with the Apple TV, and the more Apple updates it with new features and new software, the more we like it. But the problem is that unless you've got at least one Mac or iOS device, it's simply not something you'd want to buy.
This latest version is a perfect example of that. New 1080p features and a new interface will be enough to attract Apple fans, but for anyone else there are simply better, cheaper options out there.
On paper, the Sharp Aquos LC-60LE636E sounds too good to be true. Being able to get a 60-inch screen from a respected brand for £1,300-2,600/$2,000-4,150 pretty much rewrites the big-screen pricing rule book. The screen isn't nearly as basic with its specification as you might expect either, managing to include extensive picture calibration tools, 100Hz processing, multimedia playback from USB sticks and DLNA PCs, and even a degree of online functionality.
It looks very pretty too, putting to shame the bland plasticky finishes of your typical budget TV. However, tragically much of its excellent work is undone by a single but aggravating flaw: noticeable and distracting backlight consistency during dark scenes.
Why is Panasonic offering an Edge LED alternative to its plasma TVs? Given that the latter performs peerlessly with 3D and nicely upscales lesser-than-HD sources, the choice of Edge LED is surely all about the innate slimness it brings. There's no doubting the Panasonic TX-L42ET50B's style, but is it over substance?
There's no escaping the fact that this is an expensive TV, despite it being Panasonic's biggest ever Edge LED TV. It may have sacrificed plasma at this living room-friendly size, but its love of active shutter 3D tech refuses to budge. It's a strange move that leaves the Panasonic TX-L42ET50B neither a slim and cheap option nor a high-end home cinema screen, although at its best it's just capable of surviving in either environment.
By turning cores on but turning overclocking off, this eight-core Xeon is a zero sum game. As expected it's just not cost effective on the desktop, but still puts into question why exactly we don't have a full eight-core desktop processor in the desktop Sandy Bridge E family. One thing's for certain; it's not a technical limitation.
This week's other reviews
Cameras
Hands on: Sony Alpha a57 review
Cases
Cooler Master Cosmos 2 Ultra review
Cooling
Desktops
Hard drives
Western Digital My Passport Essential USB 3.0 review
Laptops
Toshiba Portege Z830-10N review
Monitors
Philips Brilliance 273P3QPYES review
Tablet accessories
Tablets
Televisions
